Merriam Webster took me on an odyssey to get to a definition of leadership.  I seem to remember being taught in school to not use the root of a word to define that word.  Someone should have told Merriam that!

Merriam Webster Says:

Definition of LEADERSHIP

1:  the office or position of a leader

2:  capacity to lead

Leadership is leading?

So then I looked up leader:

Definition of a LEADER

1:  a person who leads:

Then I looked up what the verb to lead meant:

Definition of TO LEAD

1 : to guide on a way especially by going in advance

2 : to direct on a course or in a direction

I am often asked, “What is leadership?”  It seems like a great question.  The dictionary is always a good place to start when searching for a definition.  Unfortunately, it is not the case when we are looking to define leadership.

3 Inadequate Definitions of Leadership

Therefore, I went to some other sources.  I looked for well respected researchers and communicators.  Here are three definitions and my issues with each:

  • “Leadership is the process of persuasion or example by which an individual (or leadership team) induces the group to pursue objectives held by the leader or shared by the leader and his or her followers.”  John W. Gardner, On Leadership.
    • Leaders do not just pursue objectives – they get results.  This is how a leader shows competence.
    • Leaders that do not achieve results will not have followers.  Without followers, there is no leader.
  • “Leadership over human beings is exercised when persons with certain motives and purposes mobilize, in competition or conflict with others, institutional, political, psychological, and other resources so as to arouse, engage, and satisfy the motives of followers.”  James MacGregor Burns, Leadership.
    • Leaders do not settle for satisfying the wants of the led.   That describes a politician, not a leader.
    • Leaders guide people towards what is best for them – not just towards what they want.
  •  “Leadership is influence, the ability of one person to influence others.”  Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership.
    • Influence is too broad a term.  Hitler had influence. A bully has influence.
    • Influential people:  Rather than becoming leaders, too many become critics and experts.
    • Leaders use influence to guide people towards something honorable and good.

Leadership Is A Positive Term

I would like to see the word leadership used only in a positive context.  I believe Hitler had influence, but he was not a leader because of what he used his influence to accomplish.

Leadership Requires Competence

Leaders have to make something happen to actually be leading.  A leader cannot be someone who make plans but accomplishes little.  A leader must be one who implements ideas and makes things happen.

Leadership Requires Character

Character is what separates great leaders from people who just exercise influence.  In my mind, since leadership is inherently a positive word, only people of high character are actually exercising leadership.

My character is the sum total of my habits.  Therefore a leader must demonstrate high character habits such as integrity, selflessness and courage.  Without these and other highly valued character traits, a person is probably not exercising real leadership.

The Bottom Line:

Leadership has become too much of a catch all phrase.  It must be separated and kept pure.  To be a real leader is truly an admirable calling.  It is a calling that only people of high character can fulfill.

Therefore, I propose another definition for leadership:

Using influence to accomplish moral and honorable goals.

Question:

What do you tend to use a definition of leadership?